Dutch rail network crippled by suspected sabotage
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Railway employees and police operate along the tracks in Meppel, Netherlands, on Sept 15. Rail travel in large parts of the country ground to a halt following suspected sabotage.
PHOTO: EPA
THE HAGUE - Rail travel in large parts of the Netherlands ground to a standstill on Sept 15, after what the authorities suspect were coordinated acts of sabotage with tubes attached to train tracks in multiple locations.
Transport by train in most of the central and eastern part of the country was virtually impossible after the authorities discovered items on the tracks in around 30 separate places.
“Materials were found at multiple locations on the track that were deliberately placed there,” said rail operator ProRail in a statement.
“This causes section malfunctions. Sabotage appears to be involved,” added the operator.
ProRail said its computer systems interpret an item on the track as meaning that section is occupied, even though there is no train.
The system then turns all lights in that section red, meaning no trains can pass.
One train did hit one of the tubes but there were no injuries, said ProRail spokeswoman Joke van der Cruysen.
“Who is responsible for this and what the motive is not yet known,” said ProRail, adding that a police investigation was under way.
There was also a knock-on effect on road travel, as level crossings are also malfunctioning due to the sabotage.
By around 3pm local time (9pm Singapore time), the blockages had been removed from the tracks and traffic was able to resume.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten described the alleged sabotage as “disruptive and life-threatening”.
“We must now calmly await the police investigation. The police and the security services are doing everything they can to track down the perpetrators,” added Jetten.
The action coincided with Prince’s Day, when the government lays out its budget plans.
Tuesday also saw protests by farmers angry at the government plans, who set bales of hay alight alongside several country roads.
No roads were closed as a result of the farmers’ protests, according to transport authorities, who also said there were no major delays in road traffic.
The Farmers Defence Force had already announced they would take protest actions to coincide with Prince’s Day, but it is not clear if farmers were also behind the train sabotage.
Climate group Extinction Rebellion was also active, throwing red paint at the route taken by King Willem-Alexander to Parliament to make his Prince’s Day speech.
The group denied having anything to do with the train sabotage, however.
“Placing materials on the tracks is extremely dangerous and unacceptable, and fortunately, it did not lead to any accidents today,” said ProRail.
“ProRail finds the disruption experienced by travellers and shippers today very regrettable.” AFP